Warmonger: Total War
Plot A special one-off monster of a story in which the arch-villain Warmonger suddenly goes on a mass rampage, calling on a host of heroes to try and stop the seemingly mindless villain - although this story is a "stand alone" tale it is linked to a wider storyarc that will be running through the shared "Earth-2165" universe.. Heroes *Freedom-Striker *Liberator *Runner *March Hare *Jane Causeway *Sentry *Proud Villains *Warmonger Story Prologue The scene opens in the unforgiving wastes of the Arctic Circle, a group of researchers are crossing the vast expanse of snow and ice - snowfall alerting them to an impending blizzard and making them turn back to camp. Researcher #1: "looks like we're going to have another blizzard..." Researcher #2: "no kidding, we'd better get back to camp or we'll be frozen solid.." Researcher #1: "relax, we have plenty of time.." Researcher #2: "never underestimate the snow, especially in these parts.." Researcher #1: "alright alright.." Suddenly the two men skid to a halt as the ice in front of them shatters as something emerges out of the freezing Artic waters below, leaping out with impossible speed and strength - landing nearby in the form of a human-like figure, his clothing torn and ice hanging heavily from his wild form. Researcher #1: "****! what the -?!" Before he has the chance to finish the figure leaps forward, grabbing one of the researcher's by the neck and lifting him high in the air. Figure: "..where is he?" Researcher #1: "..wha-? who-? I don't..!" Researcher #2: "let him go! we don't know anything!" Figure (dropping the researcher and turning away, trudging into the distance as the snow eventually blurs the scene entirely to white): "..Striker.. where are you? ..no use hiding.. no use running.. Striker.. I'm coming.. for you.." Act I The scene shifts to a diner amidst a crowded city, sitting alone at a table is a young man dressed in civilian clothing - he looks outside at the streets and seems to be waiting on somebody, a half-eaten plate of corn chips and a soda lay on the table. Freedom-Striker (thinking) "..come on Phoenix.. come on.. it's been over an hour.." Suddenly as if on cue a woman enters the diner, she looks worse for ware and prompts a few curious looks as she walks over to Striker's table - dropping down on a seat beside him and puffing slightly as her unkempt hair sticks up a bit like a mane. Freedom-Striker: "..let me guess, you got distracted right?" Liberator: "..what do you think?" Freedom-Striker: "I think you could do with a shower.." Liberator: "..that bad?" Freedom-Striker: "just a little, what did you do - wrestle with a skunk?" Liberator: "..for your information I was dealing with a gang of criminals seeking to get rich from abducting some high-ups in the ISDF.." Freedom-Striker: "..let me guess, they threw stink-bombs at you?" Liberator (frowning): "..a dumpster.." Freedom-Striker: "..of stink-bombs?" Liberator: "knock it off" Freedom-Striker (grinning and offering corn chips): "..sorry, you hungry?" Liberator: "..I'll pass" Freedom-Striker: "suit yourself" Liberator: "..you really sat here for a full hour waiting on me?" Freedom-Striker: "yup, besides if I hadn't you would of hunted me down and killed me.." Liberator: "you make me sound like a psychopath" Freedom-Striker (eating corn chips): "no, no.. you and I are sociopaths.. technically speaking.. you know.. living a life so exceedingly violent that we should by all rights be dead by now.. yet here we are.." Liberator: "you have a way with words, Strike - blunt: like a sledgehammer.." Freedom-Striker (getting up): "hey! we may as well be honest about ourselves - you coming?" Liberator (standing): "..you think they'll let us in the movie looking like this?" Freedom-Striker (taking Liberator's hand as they walk out): "no - then again they won't let us in without tickets either.." Liberator: "let me guess, we're going to sneak in?" Freedom-Striker (smiling): "of course we are.." Liberator (as they leave, entering the street): "..doesn't that count as hypocrisy?" Freedom-Striker: "Phoenix, you really shouldn't think on that.. it raises too many uncomfortable truths.. we're vigilantes: that in itself is kind of hyprocritical.." Liberator: "..point taken" Freedom-Striker (heading to an alley): "..not that it's always a bad thing.." Suddenly the two stop as a figure appears out of nowhere in the form of the hero known as Proud. Proud: "..ah'm sorry tae be bothering ye lovebirds but we've got a major problem - ye'll forgive me fer being blunt here but Striker is in serious danger.. we all are.." Act II The scene shifts to a large underground complex filled with sophisticated technologies, Proud walks alongside Freedom-Striker and Liberator (both now in costume) while several other heroes are shown in the background. Proud: "..ah know this must be a shock tae ye, we don't normally gather like this but something is very wrong - it wasnae easy but we managed tae get as many heroes as we could tae join up.." Liberator: "..impressive, a secret society of superheroes - should think up a name.. Justice League? ..nah, that'd never catch on.." Freedom-Striker: "yeah yeah, still doesn't explain anything.. like how did you know where to find us?" Proud: "ah have a connection with the spirits, Striker.. they allow me tae see into the "other world" - they also allow me tae home in on those with "special" abilities.. many of the heroes ye see here were brought here by me.." Freedom-Striker: "..great, a mystic homing-device.." Liberator: "sounds like you have something in common.." Proud: "..maybe, the important thing is ye're here now - we need tae show ye something.. and ah warn ye.. its nae gonna be pretty.." Liberator: "we can handle it" Proud: "..if ye say so.." Proud heads to a large screen and shows a v-net feed of several locations around the world - a trail of devastation and death is seen as she speaks. Proud: "..it began in the Arctic Circle, some researchers were ambushed by some kind o' monster - the beastie proceeded tae carve a path o' destruction across the Arctic Circle and Canada.. heading straight fer the city.. citizens, guards, police.. heck even a bunch o' soldiers tried tae stop it.. nothing.." Freedom-Striker (narrowing his eyes): "what does it want?" Proud: "that's the thing Striker, we got some footage and.. well.. see fer yerself.." Proud plays footage of an attack on a town, the monstrous figure lifts up a small car as crowds flee and scream - "..Striker! ..where are you? ..Striker!" - the footage cuts off as the car is hurled at the screen. Liberator (looking stunned): "..Strike.. that thing.. it could kill you.." Freedom-Striker (keeping his eyes narrowed): "..where is it now?" Proud: "last we heard the beastie was heading this way - we have a unit ready.." Freedom-Striker: "I'm going with them" Liberator: "NO! Striker! Please -! Look at that thing! you don't stand a chance!" Freedom-Striker: "..and those people did? they were innocents.. they didn't ask to be part of this.. if this thing wants me so bad then it's going to get me.." Proud: "..ye won't be fighting alone, we have some of the best heroes we have going - including me.. ah want tae see what this beastie is.." Liberator: "..I'm coming too" Proud: "then it's settled: we leave as soon as possible.." Act III The scene changes to inside an advanced aircraft, the group consisting of Jane Causeway, March Hare, Runner and Sentry. Sentry: "quite the impressive group we have here, wouldn't you say?" Runner: "you're tell me, I haven't seen this many socially awkard people in the same room since high school.." Jane Causeway: "..I suppose you think that's funny?" March Hare: "hehe, it was kind of witty" Runner: "relax Jane, I was just teasing.." Jane Causeway: "I'm a cop, I'm not here for fun - I'm here to deal with a potentially life-threatening situation.. do you know how many people have died because of this thing? how many may still be suffering? do you even understand that we might not even make it out of this alive?" Sentry: "..Jane, that's enough.." Jane Causeway (sulking back): "..sorry, I just.." Sentry: "I know you're frightened, we all are.. but we can't fight amongst ourselves.. we have to stay focused.." Runner (quietly to himself): "..geeze.. me and my big mouth.." March Hare (to Runner, quietly): "..I still think it was funny, don't mind Jane - I think she has issues.. like crazy issues.." Runner (sighing a little): "..you do know you're dressed as a giant rabbit?" March Hare (grinning widely): "the best kind of rabbit!" Meanwhile Freedom-Striker, Liberator and Proud sit upfront - away from the others. Freedom-Striker (looking out at the ground below via a small window): "..how long now?" Proud (checking a floating v-screen): "we ought tae be arriving shortly - cannae say ah'll miss the conversation.." Freedom-Striker: "..they are confused and frightened, who can blame them? most of them work alone - being part of a team can bring back painful memories.. of what we lost.." Liberator: "..Striker.. don't.." Freedom-Striker: "I'm sorry.." Proud: "..you two are close aren't ye?" Liberator: "..you could say that" Proud: "well, don't ye worry - nobody's gonna die.. ah promise.." Freedom-Striker: "we're not children Proud, don't make promises you can't keep.. we all know there is a chance we won't make it.." Proud: "..ah know, ah know.. ah'm just trying tae keep myself focused - all this negativity isnae helping us.." Liberator: "..we're not going to die.. I won't let us.." Freedom-Striker: "..topic change: what is this thing we're facing? stats? a name? going in blind is like tossing a frag-grenade at a nuke.." Proud: "..what?" Liberator: "..a bad idea" Proud: "..oh, well.. from what ah can tell its some sort of vampire - it absorbs negative energy and converts it into.. well.. ah'm not sure what.. strength fer a start.. but there is more.. a lot more.." Liberator: "..it feeds off war?" Proud (blinking slightly) "..I suppose ye could say that.." Liberator: "..Warmonger.." Freedom-Striker: "..Warmonger? the homicidal maniac that created the Brotherhood Of War? impossible - the guy was destroyed by some sort of demigod or something if I recall right (1) " Liberator: "what if he survived?" Proud (beginning to land the air-craft): "well, we're about tae find out - get ready folks.. it's show time!" Act IV Act V Act VII Act VIII Act IX Act X Epilogue Notes (1) - it occured in the end of the Inferno/Golden-Child: Villains storyarc Category:Stories, Events and Realities Category:Inferno Pendragon